The man behind the plans for a controversial Chelmsford bus gate has revealed that his "mind is not yet made up" over whether it is the best scheme to reduce congestion in the area.

Essex County Council's proposed bus gate on Baddow Road has been met with widespread criticism from Great Baddow residents.

It will operate westbound between Meadgate Avenue and the Army and Navy roundabout, meaning buses will only be allowed to travel in this direction in peak hours (7am-10am and 4pm-7pm).

Councillor Kevin Bentley, who inherited the project in May 2017, was invited to discuss the issue at an earlier meeting in January by members of the Great Baddow East Neighbourhood Association (GBENA), but this was cancelled due to overcrowding.

A subsequent meeting is planned by GBENA for next Wednesday (April 18), but Cllr Bentley will not be in attendance despite his invitation.

And the deputy leader of the council has now stated that he is open to other suggestions from people who are not happy with the plan.

In this interview, Cllr Bentley explains why he thinks the scheme will be beneficial for the area, the changes he and his team have made to the initial project, and his thoughts on the future of Chelmsford.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council

Councillor Bentley became deputy leader of Essex County Council on May 10, 2017.

As well as this role, he is also tasked with tackling the growth of infrastructure across the county - including what seems like the age-old question of Chelmsford's congestion problems.

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"One of the instances was to look at a bus gate. I took the decision to modify it to peak times only and not at weekends following the consultation.

"The status quo is not an option if people want to keep moving around the city.

"If I decide to do nothing, in four or five years' time, people will 'say the city is at a gridlock, why did you not do anything?' "

Cllr Bentley also explained how the Army and Navy roundabout was particularly difficult to control traffic flow because of its many exits.

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So what has changed?

The initial bus gate proposal was for it to run both ways down Baddow Road throughout the week.

This was altered to run westbound between Meadgate Avenue and Baddow Road at peak times and weekends.

And Cllr Bentley has now revealed that the 18-month trial period has been reduced to a 12-month trial.

"It was a decision made last month," he explained.

"I don't set out to make the people of Baddow's lives a misery but if I don't make a decision, everyone's lives will be a misery.

"People have to get used to the idea - in the first few weeks I will understand people not obeying it or understanding it.

"But in our experience of doing things like this across the county, very quickly people bed into it.

"From my point of view, it is worth this 12-month trial to find out."

Opinion: The Baddow Bus Gate won't solve congestion

As someone who lives just off Baddow Road and who has listened to arguments both for and against the bus gate, it's a scheme I just can't get behind.

Traffic is horrific across Chelmsford, but Great Baddow really seems to bear the brunt of the congestion.

When I moved here I never expected to see traffic like it - and I used to live on a housing development next to one of the busiest junctions on the M1.

I just can't see how adding a bus gate to Meadgate Avenue will realistically solve the issue. If anything it seems like a plaster being stuck on a crack in a pipe.

I don't have the solution to Baddow's congestion chaos, but I'm convinced the council doesn't in this case either.

Richard Duggan - Essex Live Reporter

Why are you not attending the next meeting?

Residents queued throughout Baddow to try and get into the meeting

The meeting held at The Orchards on Mascalls Way on January 25 was cancelled before it began after hundreds of residents who could not get in to the 200-capacity hall refused to leave without speaking to Cllr Bentley.

A few even stormed the building, with one confronting Cllr Bentley personally.

Cllr Bentley has made the decision not to attend the coming meeting at the Hamptons on April 18 at 7.30pm, and has faced some criticism from GBENA because of this.

Cllr Bentley said: "I am concerned for the health and safety of the public and our own officers.

"There was a lot of congestion outside.

"I was very happy for the meeting to go ahead but it was the decision made by Reverend Tim Ball who was chairing the meeting.

"I wanted to get the message out there to say that we would arrange another meeting with the people outside so they could have their say."